Appendix:False friends between English and Icelandic

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This is a list of English–Icelandic false friends, that is, word pairs similar in appearance but different in meaning.

The following are common points of confusion:

Icelandic word English translation English word Icelandic translation
billjón trillion billion milljarður
fast stuck; with force fast hraður
glimmer glitter glimmer tíra
harmónika accordion harmonica munnharpa
harmur sorrow harm skaði
háskóli university high school (approx.) menntaskóli, gagnfræðiskóli
húsbóndi master of the house husband eiginmaður
líkjör liqueur liquor áfengi
mold earth mold mygla
paprika bell pepper paprika paprikuduft
pensill brush pencil blýantur
púðursykur brown sugar powdered sugar flórsykur
rist instep (the top of the foot) wrist úlnliður
rúm bed room herbergi
silíkon silicone silicon kísill
ský cloud sky himinn
skyrta shirt skirt pils
smóking tuxedo smoking reykja
vinka veifa wink blikka
yfirheyra interrogate overhear heyra út undan sér
stúdent gymnasium graduate student nemandi
stressaður anxious about something upcoming stressed undir álagi
mappa folder map kort
töff cool, fashionable tough harður
hrossafluga cranefly horsefly kleggi
hringormur roundworm ringworm sveppasýking
við next to with með
í eitt ár for one year in one year eftir eitt ár
kúmen caraway cumin broddkúmen


Other similar terms

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The following terms happen to look similar but are less likely to cause confusion.

Icelandic word English translation English false friend Icelandic translation
barn child barn hlaða
fars finely ground meat farce skrípaleikur
fagott bassoon faggot faggi
gift married gift gjöf
grín joke grin glott
grípa to catch grab grípa í
Ísland Iceland island eyja
kind sheep kind vingjarnlegur
klikka fail click ýta
klósett toilet closet skápur
korn grain corn maís
kraftur force craft handverk
kvitta to sign (a receipt) quit hætta
skin shine skin húð
sofa sleep sofa sófi
stóll chair stool kollur
svampur sponge swamp mýri
útlenskur foreign outlandish fáránlegur
turn tower turn snúa
mappa folder map kort
plástur adhesive bandage (UK: plaster) plaster gips
smakka to have a taste smack að slá
yfirsjást overlook oversee hafa umsjón með
frændi uncle, cousin friend vinur

See also

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